200 strike at Al-Kharafi

At least 200 employees of the Al-Kharafi Construction Group, working at the Banjul International Airport Improvement Project, have begun a sit-down strike, for the alleged failure of the management to fully settle their January salaries.

The workers also accused the management of ‘unjustifiably” sacking 15 of their colleagues, and decried the lack of a compensation package for accidents and emergency, and disregard of safety precautions. They are also demanding 20 per cent increase of salaries.

The sit-down strike has paralysed work at the project site and the workers have vowed not to call off the strike unless their demands are fully met.

This reporter visited the workers’ camp in New Yundum, where he met a group of angry-looking employees sitting down at the metal gate. Members of a committee set-up by the workers were spotted walking out from the administration building, where they had a close-door meeting with the Al-Kharafi Management at the camp. Some workers were seen displaying a banner and a piece of cardboard, bearing the slogan: “We don’t need Hisham”.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, shortly after  an audience with the Al-Kharafi management, Yankuba S. Camara, president of the Workers Committee at the Al-Kharafi Airport Improvement Project, lamented that some of them were paid for a 19-day salary, and others  20 days. He said the labourers receive a daily wage of D55, but for the month of January, they were not paid fully. He said they are now demanding a 20-per cent salary increment for all their workers.

According to Mr Camara, 15 employees were sacked last year without any “good reason” and  the rest of them have to work even during off days (Sundays), or else would not get paid for it.

Mr Camara further lamented that they have been working in the company for at least three years now and have not been granted leave, nor been paid for an extra month.

He described this act as reprehensible and contrary to the Labour Act and even the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) acceptable standards. He indicated that the management has been faltering on the payment of overtime allowances and workers are not provided any compensation package or incentive for emergencies or accidents.

“Pa Alieu Jagne got a fractured hand not long ago and he was not compensated. Ebrima Sonko, the fuel attendant, suffered similar consequences and Alhagie Gassama also got burnt and yet still he has not been compensated. And the worst thing they did was to sack him,” Mr Camara retorted.

Abubacarr Jarjue, chairman of the committee, also expressed similar sentiments and said that there are no safety precaution materials in the camp.

However, when contacted to shed light on the matter, Mr Hisham El-Mogy, the project manager, insisted that he will not talk to journalists and went ahead to spread the curtain of his office window to affirm his reluctance to talk to this reporter.